PROVIDENCE, Guyana – The Guyana Amazon Warriors saved their best for the last group match of the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), storming to a commanding victory over the Barbados Royals to lock in a coveted top-two finish.
The triumph guarantees the Warriors two shots at reaching the final, beginning with Wednesday’s blockbuster Qualifier 1 clash against the Saint Lucia Kings.
For the Royals, the loss capped a dismal campaign, consigning them to the foot of the table and an early exit.
Sampson and Hetmyer set the tone
The Warriors’ batting was spearheaded by Quentin Sampson, whose run of form at the top of the order has silenced all debate over his place. His assured half-century provided the foundation, before Shimron Hetmyer unleashed a dazzling 68 off 39 balls, combining clean hitting with smart placement to keep the scoreboard racing.
Shai Hope added a polished 31, while Romario Shepherd’s late surge lifted the Warriors to a commanding 189/6—a total that proved far beyond the reach of the struggling Royals.
Royals collapse under early fire
Tasked with a daunting chase, the Royals needed a steady platform but instead collapsed under the Warriors’ opening onslaught. Dwaine Pretorius and Shamar Joseph ripped through the top order inside the Power-Play, with Joseph producing the delivery of the night—a searing rocket that shattered Rassie van der Dussen’s off stump.
The early carnage left the Royals reeling, and though Kofi James attempted resistance with a brisk 26, the innings never recovered.
Motie’s magic seals the rout
If the pacers set the trap, Gudakesh Motie sprung it shut with a spell to remember. The left-arm spinner ran riot through the middle and lower order, claiming a career-best 5-21. His guile and control left the Royals in tatters, bowled out well short and condemned to the cellar of the 2025 season.
With the Warriors sealing second place, the CPL playoffs are set: the Warriors meet the Kings in Qualifier 1, where the winner books a direct ticket to the final. The loser of that clash will face the victor of Tuesday’s Eliminator between the Trinbago Knight Riders and Antigua & Barbuda Falcons.
For the Warriors, buoyed by Hetmyer’s brilliance, Sampson’s stability, and Motie’s match-winning spell, momentum is firmly on their side as the knockout stage begins.
